Lagos Launches 'Speak Up' Campaign Against Transit Harassment

Women commuting across Lagos now have a powerful new ally in their fight for safer public transport.

The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority launched its "Soro Soke" (Speak Up) campaign this week, tackling sexual harassment head-on across the city's buses, ferries, and transit stations. The Yoruba phrase, which means "speak up," sends a clear message: silence stops here.

The campaign comes after five years of groundwork through the EMPOWER Project, funded by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. LAMATA Managing Director Abimbola Akinajo says the authority is committed to making every journey safe, particularly for women who depend on public transport daily.

Here's what's changing on the ground. Transit hubs across Lagos now feature QR codes that let passengers report harassment incidents directly from their phones. The Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps is deploying more personnel at Bus Rapid Transit stations and terminals to increase watchful eyes where commuters need them most.

The campaign brings together an impressive coalition. Transport unions, ferry operators, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, and civil society groups like WARIF all joined the launch event. Transportation Commissioner Oluwaseun Osiyemi praised the collaboration and urged both victims and witnesses to break the culture of silence by reporting what they see.

The Ripple Effect

This campaign does more than protect individual passengers. By addressing harassment in informal transport spaces where oversight has been limited, Lagos is setting a standard for other African cities facing similar challenges. The initiative trains transport professionals on gender equity while building reporting systems that actually work.

When transport authorities partner with sexual violence prevention agencies and community groups, they create multiple entry points for help. A woman harassed on a bus now has options: scan a QR code, contact DSVA, or speak to safety corps personnel who've received specific training on handling these reports sensitively.

The campaign also recognizes that safety isn't just about enforcement. It's about changing workplace culture among drivers, conductors, and fellow passengers who've long treated harassment as normal or inevitable.

Every commuter in Lagos deserves to travel without fear, and "Soro Soke" is turning that basic right into reality.